Geranium plant named &#39;klerotyst&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Klerotyst’, characterized by its uniform and cascading growth habit; dark green-colored leaves with zonation pattern; and light purple-colored double flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofIvy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Klerotyst’.

[0002] The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Ivy Geraniums with uniform growthhabit, and interesting flower and foliage colors.

[0003] The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross made by the Inventorin May, 1995 of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatumidentified as code number PL 808, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unidentified proprietary selection of Pelargoniumpeltatum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivarKlerotyst was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny from this cross in a controlled environment inStuttgart, Germany, in June, 1996.

[0004] Asexual reproduction ofthe new cultivar by terminal cuttingstaken at Stuttgart, Germany, since July, 1996, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Klerotyst’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Klerotyst’ as a new cultivarand distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

[0006] 1. Uniform and cascading growth habit.

[0007] 2. Dark green-colored leaves with zonation pattern.

[0008] 3. Light purple-colored double flowers.

[0009] Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants oftheparent selections in plant growth habit, leaf color and flower color.

[0010] The new Ivy Geranium is most similar in flower color to thecultivar, Amethyst, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differfrom plants of the cultivar Amethyst in the following characteristics:

[0011] 1. Cuttings of the new Ivy Geranium are easier to propagateduring the winter than cuttings of the cultivar Amethyst.

[0012] 2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are stronger and more vigorousthan plants of the cultivar Amethyst.

[0013] 3. Leaves of the new Ivy Geranium have a more distinct zonationpattern than leaves of the cultivar Amethyst.

[0014] 4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more tolerant to rain andtemperature extremes than plants of the cultivar Amethyst.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

[0015] The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overallappearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Thephotograph comprises a side perspective view of four typical floweringplants of ‘Klerotyst’ that were grown for about three months in ahanging basket container. Flower and foliage colors in the photographmay differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newIvy Geranium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0016] The cultivar Klerotyst has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants that were planted inJanuary in 12-cm pots in Stuttgart, Germany, pinched one time about twoweeks later, and grown for about three months under commercial practicein a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18 to 22° C.,night temperatures about 15 to 18° C. and light levels about 20,000 to50,000 lux. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

[0017] Botanical Classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivarKlerotyst.

[0018] Parentage:

[0019]Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatumidentified as code number PL 808, not patented.

[0020]Male parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Pelargoniumpeltatum, not patented.

[0021] Propagation:

[0022]Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

[0023]Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 22° C. Winter:About 12 days at 20° C.

[0024]Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 21 days at 22° C. Winter:About 23 days at 20° C.

[0025]Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching, and white in color.

[0026] Plant Description:

[0027]General appearance.—Initially upright, then cascading growthhabit; uniform; densely foliated.

[0028]Crop time.—About three months are required to produced a finishedflowering plant in 12-cm container. Growth and branching habit:Moderately vigorous and freely basal branching; about three to fivelateral branches develop after pinching, that is, removal of terminalapices.

[0029]Plant height (to top of flower umbels).—About 29 cm.

[0030]Plant height (to top of foliar plane).—About 22.5 cm.

[0031]Plant width.—About 25 cm.

[0032]Lateral branches.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Internode length: About 2to 2.5 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 139C.

[0033]Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical,alternate arrangement. Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: About 4 to5. Length, mature leaves: About 6.5 cm. Width, mature leaves: About 6.5cm. Shape: Star-shaped. Apex: Acute. Base: Lobed, overlapping. Margin:Entire. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture: Upper surface: Slightlypubescent, rough. Lower surface: Glabrous, rough.

[0034]Color.—Young foliage, upper surface: 138A; zonation pattern, 139Ain color. Young foliage, lower surface: 138B. Mature foliage, uppersurface: 147A; zonation pattern, 139A in color, located about 2 cm fromthe margin, and about 1 cm in width. Mature foliage, lower surface:138A. Venation, both surfaces: 138B.

[0035]Petiole.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, bothsurfaces: Smooth. Color, both surfaces: 139C.

[0036] Flower Description:

[0037]Flower arrangement and type.—Light purple-colored flowers arrangedin flat hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbelsdisplayed above the foliage. Freely flowering; at full flowering about 4to 5 open umbels and about 3 developing umbels per plant. Flowers doublein form, rounded and cup-shaped. Flowers last about 3 to 5 days on theplant. Umbels persistent, flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

[0038]Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

[0039]Umbels.—Height: About 7 to 9 cm. Diameter: About 9 to 12 cm.Number of flowers and flower buds per umbel: About 7 to 10. Flowerdiameter: About 4 cm. Flower depth (height): About 1 cm.

[0040]Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape:Elliptic. Color: 139C.

[0041]Petals.—Quantity: About 10 to 12 per flower arranged in about twowhorls. Length, outer petals: About 3.5 cm. Width, outer petals: About1.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.Texture, both surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: When opening, uppersurface: 78B. When opening, lower surface: 77D. Fully opened, uppersurface: 78B; towards base, 78A; color does not fade with subsequentdevelopment. Fully opened, lower surface: 77C. Venation, both surfaces:78B.

[0042]Petaloids.—Quantity: About 2 to 5 per flower. Length: About 3 to 8mm; irregular in size. Width: About 1 to 4 mm; irregular in size. Shape:Variable, irregular. Apex: Mostly rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Mostly entire. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: 78B. When opening, lower surface: 77D. Fullyopened, upper surface: 78B; towards base, 78A; color does not fade withsubsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 77C. Venation, bothsurfaces: 78B.

[0043]Sepals.—Quantity: Five, arranged in a single whorl. Length: About9 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:Entire. Texture, both surfaces: Pubescent, velvety. Color, upper andlower surfaces: 139C.

[0044]Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10 to 15 cm. Diameter: About2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.Color: 139C.

[0045]Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.5 to 2 cm.Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong.Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 139C.

[0046]Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity: Five per flower.Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: 59C.Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 33B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity:One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted,star-shaped. Stigma color: 59C. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:58D. Ovary color: 138D.

[0047]Seed.—Length: About 3 to 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 to 2 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: Brownish.

[0048] Disease Tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been shownto be tolerant to pathogens common to Pelargonium, such as Botrytis.

[0049] Weather Tolerance: Plants ofthe new Ivy Geranium have beenobserved to tolerate rain and temperatures from 8 to 32° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plantnamed ‘Klerotyst’, as herein illustrated and described.